Thursday, May 14, 2015

Thrilling Thursday - Chorus Concert!

This morning, after reading quietly, exchanging books in the media center, or practicing keyboarding, we began our math rotations.

During the small group, teacher-led, instruction, we represented and solved word problems involving mass in measured in grams and kilograms. One focus was the understanding that kilo means one thousand. So, one kilogram is equal to one thousand grams.

During math with a partner, the students chose between two games. Race to Midnight provided practice calculating elapsed time. Race to the Resort worked on basic fact fluency involving division. AS always, engaging in math discourse was the expectation.

Finally, during the technology the students chose between two web sites, both working on measuring liquid volume and logic skills.

For HOMEWORK there is an assignment on Google Classroom, the homework page. We will have a quiz tomorrow covering word problems involving liquid volume and mass. Also, there is a writing journal entry due tomorrow.

After math we took a Go Noodle brain break. Then we began our literacy block.

Today the children began with an independent guided reading task. Then, all groups did a buddy check using their word work words. Next students completed the opinion paragraph rough draft using the Educreations lesson. Finally, the students viewed an Econ and Me lesson about scarcity and, in their social studies journal, they defined scarcity, identified 3 resources, 2 limited resources and 1 choice the children had to make.

As the students worked, I met with guided reading groups.

Panthers: We reviewed the important parts that the children marked for homework last night. As we discussed these sections of text, we began to identify the main message and theme of the text. For HOMEWORK the students are expected to reread the book and mark sections of text that show courage.

Following lunch and outdoor recess the students continued working independently while I met with more groups.

Tigers: Independently the students reread between the red post-it notes and wrote the main idea, for each page, on a sticky note. In group we reviewed text they marked as confusing or surprising for homework last night and the main idea for each page. For HOMEWORK the students need to read between the red post -it notes, which is the rest of the book. They should mark parts that surprised them with an exclamation point and areas that confused them with a question mark.

Leopards: Independently the children reread pages 46-51. In their RRJ they identified the main idea and 2-3 supporting details for each chapter. In group we began sharing their main idea and supporting details but it became clear they need help. So, we reviewed strategies to help identify the main idea, including; look at the heading or title, look for repeated words, look at the beginning and end of the chapter or section of text. Then we drew a line of learning in their RRJ and together identified the main idea for each chapter. For HOMEWORK the children need to read pages 52-59 and mark the most important parts with a star or asterisk.

Lions: Independently the children reread pages 46-51. In their RRJ they identified the main idea and 2-3 supporting details for each chapter. In group, we reviewed strategies to help identify the main idea, including; look at the heading or title, look for repeated words, look at the beginning and end of the chapter or section of text. After that the children shared the main ideas they identified during independent work...they were okay but needed improvement. So, then we drew a line of learning in their RRJ and together identified the main idea for each chapter. For HOMEWORK the children need to read pages 52-59 and mark the most important parts with a star or asterisk.

F&P: We focused on word work today. Students identified words that change the spelling in order to make them plural.

After our literacy block we enjoyed the Spring Instrumental Music and Choral Concert.